Losing the drill chuck key for your drill press?

[Workshopshed]

Most of the time the magnet does stay stuck to the case by it's own force. It does come loose some times but not enough to warrent adding epoxy.

[mklotz]

Modern neodymium magnets are indeed handier than a shirt pocket. Even handier IN a shirt pocket...

If I have a repair around the house that involves removing and then re-installing fasteners, I stick a magnet in my shirt pocket. As I remove the screws/nuts/etc. I stick them to my shirt pocket. This guarantees that they won't get misplaced and will be immediately available when I need to replace them. This trick is especially useful when working on a ladder where there isn't any room to lay things down.

[Jon]

Stunning how simple this is. I've been just putting the fasteners in my pocket, which means: remove-glove, fumble, poke, grab, look, oops wrong pocket, check other one, fumble, got it, glove back on. For decades!

I just glued two neodymium magnets inside a new mailbox so the door will close tightly.

[mklotz]

Sempstresses used to have pin-cushion bracelets which they wore while sewing. This is a generalization of this idea. I suppose, if one wished, you could glue a magnet to a defunct watch-band and achieve the same thing. (Although, many pins are brass.)

Harbor Freight sells a small tube of super strong mini-magnets about 1/4" in diameter. Glue one to the temple bar of your safety glasses and you can conveniently park them anywhere on your machines.

Rare Earth Magnets - Rare Earth Magnet Set, 10 Piece

Take a magnet with you when you go shopping for brass screws. A lot of the imports are brass-plated steel. A magnet will sort them out quickly.

If you want to glue two pieces of relatively thin wood at a 90 degree angle, use your machinist's angle plate and a magnet or two to hold the vertical one in position. Modelmakers use this technique all the time when assembling airplane and ship frames.

Be careful with those hard-disk magnets. Get two of them too close to each other and they can snap together with enough force to seriously pinch your skin.

[Jon]

Very interesting stuff. You gave me an idea for a followup to this week's Simple Tools newsletter thread: a "simple tips" collection with all of these bite-sized tips.

I only recently read that pincushions were filled with emery for sharpening. I've been trying to think if that technique has another application.

Agreed about safety. My wife is understandably paranoid about having these around my toddler.

[mklotz]

Very interesting stuff. You gave me an idea for a followup to this week's Simple Tools newsletter thread: a "simple tips" collection with all of these bite-sized tips.

I only recently read that pincushions were filled with emery for sharpening. I've been trying to think if that technique has another application.

Some of the one-liners shown here...

http://www.modelenginemaker.com/inde...7.html#msg2647

are already on your site but you may want to review it and see if anything intrigues you.

[Jon]

Just saw this inexpensive magnet supplier on another site and figured I'd post it here. Haven't ordered from them yet.

7 cents each for these: products_id_330 | Neodymium Disc Magnets 1/4 in x 1/32 in N42 - Magnet4less - Applied Magnets

[WoodChip]

That's the best solution I've found too! I have magnets on both sides of my drill press! Old loud speaker magnets; no adhesive required! I store a pointed centering rod on one side, the chuck key on the other side. Having said all this, I still manage to misplace the key on occasion

[cpttuna]

I have hidden magnets hidden on all the cars in the family with spare keys attached. Three of my kids have used the spare key once, two have used it twice. The best laugh i had was when I asked my 36 year old daughter where she was when she had to use the spare key. She looked dumbfounded as she asked me how I knew. I never told her she left the magnet on the roof of her vehicle.

[mklotz]

Don't overlook the fact that magnets can be glued to cloth.

I have one of those articulated shop lights that has a magnifying glass surrounded by a circular fluorescent bulb. I discovered that a cloth-covered car wax applicator was just the right size to cover and protect the lens when not in use. However, placing the cover on the bench when the magnifier was in use would lead to it picking up all manner of oil, dirt and swarf to besmirch the lens. I glued a small magnet to the cover and now stick it to the steel arms that support the lamp while using the lens. It stays clean and out of the way.

HF sells bulldog clamps with attached magnet (item#98505, $1.99). Clip one to a shop towel and you can attach the towel conveniently to a machine. In fact, once done using the towel, I can just toss it at the machine base and it will stick and be at hand for the next time I need it.